Pakistan, July 12 -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has raised alarm over the large-scale return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and Iran this year. According to UNHCR's Afghanistan representative, Arafat Jamal, more than 1.6 million Afghans have returned to their homeland so far in 2025, surpassing the UN's planned target of 1.4 million. This sudden influx is creating a severe humanitarian strain on Afghanistan, which is already struggling with economic and security challenges.

Jamal warned that this return is largely unorganized and forced, putting immense pressure on local resources and infrastructure. He estimated that up to 3 million Afghans could return by the end of the year, further intensifying the cr...